Police drive to protect ‘easy target’ homes from burglary

Hundreds of so-called “easy target” homes in the Lea Bridge area of Hackney are being equipped with anti-burglary devices to make them safer.

Last weekend, Hackney Council and the Metropolitan Police visited 115 homes in the Lea Bridge area, giving out window locks, light timer switches and door frame reinforces. More than 500 homes have so far been secured, with more home visits planned in the coming months.

The visits follow on from a crime prevention survey carried out on approximately 600 homes in the Lea Bridge area last autumn.

The project, called “Operation Tarian,” started in October 2015 and during visits police and council officers discuss local issues and provide crime prevention advice and equipment to help protect the residents from burglary.

Deputy Mayor, Councillor Sophie Linden, said: “Simple safety measures can mean your home is less likely to be burgled. Thanks to the support of the Safer Neighbourhood Board, police officers and our staff will be providing hundreds of homes with free light-timer switches, window locks and bars.

“By taking some extra precautions we can make our homes safer and make it harder for criminals.”

Though numbers of burglaries have fallen in the Hackney borough, some homes are seen as easy targets to burglars, which has triggered the initiative in Lea Bridge.

Met Police officers, accompanied by council officers, are also patrolling some surrounding Hackney areas, targeting known offenders, Hackney Council said.

Separately from ‘Operation Tarian’, under the new ‘Met Trace’ programme, 4000 homes in burglary hotspots received a free kit to protect their property.